Portion of Monterey coastline closed due to sewage release
The coastline south of Coast Guard Pier to Commercial Wharf One in Monterey is closed due to sewage release, yesterday.
Monterey County Health Department officials say sewer main line blockage resulted in a sewage overflow from a manhole and into a storm drain. The City of Monterey responded to the site, cleared the blockage, and completed a cleanup. The storm drain leads to the Breakwater Cove Marina in Monterey.
The area will remain closed until samples indicate that the water is again safe for contact according to state guidelines. Some say this problem happens too often.
“Unfortunately, we do have an older infrastructure on the Peninsula, so it does happen,” says Marni Flagg with Health Services.
The city is prepared and typically gets everything cleaned up before the sewage hits the ocean. But there are some things you can’t prevent. With wet weather headed our way, it might not be the best few days to get in the water.
“So a rain advisory is issued when it’s raining, as the water flows down the streets it can collect garbage, debris, [and] bacteria. And we advise no on enter the water at this time,” says Flagg.
Contact with contaminated water may cause gastroenteritis and other water borne illnesses. For more information on Monterey Peninsula beaches, please call the hotline at (831) 755-4599 or visit our web site at www.mtyhd.org/beaches.
